Working For The Enemy
by Pysche
Summary: COMPLETE In an effort to gain Seto's attention, Yami offers to serve as an official spokesperson for KaibaCorp. But when Seto turns him down and breaks his heart, Yami turns to the competition. SetoYami
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1

Seto Kaiba liked the darkness.

I knew, because I watched him sometimes; observed him from the corner of my eye, waiting to see what he would do. He never seemed to mind the sun, never noticeably gave any reaction to it at all, but I could tell. Seto disliked the hot, steaming rays bearing down on him, their lurid glare reflecting blindingly on the metal studs lining his trenchcoat and their scorching heat soaking mercilessly into his black clothes. No, he belonged to the gloom, to the chill wind and the cloudy sky. There, he was at his strongest; there, he stood a little straighter, held his proud chin a little higher. There, if indeed anywhere, Seto was at peace.

So, who better for him than the very embodiment of darkness itself? One whose body, whose very existence emerged from the shadows, who was even named after the night? Who better for Seto… than me?

Me… Yami. His greatest rival; the only person who could beat him at his own game, the one who stole his title as Duel Monsters Champion and challenged his reputation by defeating him repeatedly. The person he resented most in the world.

And, in a strange, twisted way, his best friend.

I couldn't even attempt to explain _that_. But, somehow, in spite of all the bitterness and rivalry, Seto still respected me – and we'd certainly gone through enough together to be more than casual acquaintances. I was Seto's constant ally – and though he'd never admit to feeling anything other than apathy or loathing toward anyone except his brother, somehow I had pushed my way into Seto's life enough to earn the stoic CEO's vague, distant brand of friendship.

Although I was probably the only person – ever – to accomplish this, it still wasn't enough. I wanted more. I _needed_ more. When I watched Seto, especially at night, standing straight and proud with the cold wind whipping thick chestnut locks wildly around his face, I knew I couldn't be satisfied with being his somewhat – if only – friend. I wanted closer, wanted to whisper secrets into the delicate shell of his ear, to run my fingers through that thick hair, to hear him cry out my name as we moved together in the darkness.

I just wanted _him_.

But I had no idea how to get him.

* * *

"What are you thinking about, Yami?"

Yugi's cheerful tenor startled me from my reverie and I turned from the darkened window I had been staring vaguely through, blinking slowly as I observed his curious violet eyes. "Is something wrong?" he added.

"No, I'm fine Yugi," I reassured him, giving him a slight smile. "Just falling asleep at the window, I suppose."

"What were you thinking about?" he repeated.

I hesitated. "I was just… remembering," I answered vaguely, but continued quickly before he could question me further, "Nothing important. I think I'll go to bed now."

"Alright. Good night, then."

"Good night."

I hurried past him and climbed the steep, shabbily carpeted stairs to my room, plopping on my back across my creaking mattress as soon as I reached it so I could continue my thoughts in peace. What I'd said to Yugi hadn't been a lie – I _was_ remembering. I was remembering my duels with Seto; recalling the slow, seductive way he drawled my name whenever he challenged me and the bright cerulean flash of his wondrous eyes as I faced him across the arena.

It had been far too long since I'd seen him.

A few weeks, maybe, at most, were all that had passed since I had encountered the CEO, but my last glimpse of him was merely to see him stalking from the entrance to one of the major businesses downtown, barking orders into his cellphone as he headed for his limo. He had noticed me walking by, and when I waved he nodded minutely in my direction, never ceasing his telephone conversation. Then Seto had climbed into the limousine and disappeared. That was it.

But still, for those few fleeting seconds when he acknowledged me I had been deliriously happy – and I had wandered around smiling for the rest of the day.

I was pathetic.

I rolled over in bed and buried my face in my pillow. This was getting me nowhere; this wishing for contact with Seto and dwelling endlessly on the tiny, meaningless scraps of attention he casually tossed my way… It was embarrassing. Sighing to myself, I decided to just go to sleep and forget about Seto for at least one night, and so settled cozily into the mattress, tugging my blankets tight around me as I snuggled closer into the pillow.

Still, I couldn't help but think it would have been nice if that pillow was Seto, and instead of cotton I was snuggling into the soft warm heat of his neck, burying my face in the juncture between his throat and collarbone… He probably smelled incredible, like soap and summer rain…

I groaned and tossed the pillow across the room.

There was no hope for me.

* * *

The next day I came up with a plan. It was too ridiculous, too pathetic, for the King of Games to waste his life pining pointlessly after his rival. No, I had always prided myself on bravery and determination, so I should be able to face Seto easily; to be honest with my rival about my feelings. It should be simple for me to talk to him.

But… it wasn't. So I carefully constructed a plan; painstakingly agonized over just the right way to grab Seto's attention – until, in the end, I decided on something deceptively simple.

It was all in the clothes.

If Seto Kaiba liked the night, I would simply have to remind him why I was the embodiment of the dark. Then, just maybe, he would feel drawn to me; feel as at home with me as he did alone in the gloom. So I wore black, donning the black boots and black leather pants that clung to me and melded against my skin as if they belonged there. The shirt was black as well, long-sleeved, filmy fabric shimmering with every swish of air and every hint of movement, silk so thin it seemed to float around me, almost like it was indeed constructed of shadows. My neck I left bare, the smooth pale skin disappearing under the silk a subtle invitation for Seto to come and explore.

(Of course, this outfit was more than a little expensive. I just hoped my plan would work before Yugi's grandfather got his credit card bill.)

My appearance thus decided, it was time for me to implement the next, and by far the most difficult, phase of my plan – arranging a meeting with Kaiba. A believable one, at that. But, as such things tend to do; the answer came to me in an incredible stroke of brilliance, surprising even me by its simplicity. Seto may have been a child prodigy, a creative genius, but he was a businessman first of all.

He was certain to be intrigued by a business proposal from his rival.

* * *

"I'm listening."

Kaiba's curt words cut me off the moment I walked in the door. Taken slightly by surprise at this, I hesitated in the middle of the lush blue carpet of his office floor. He made an impatient grunt in the back of his throat and gestured for me to sit in the chair across his desk. "I don't have all day. Just say what you want," he added brusquely.

I regarded him for a moment, frowning, before I began my slow seductive steps across the room to sit in front of Seto. I could feel his eyes on me as I approached, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise several degrees. I was sure I was sweating. When I reached the chair I glanced up to find Seto openly staring at me, an unreadable expression flickering in his crystal blue eyes. I smirked; hopefully that meant my outfit was working.

"No need to be so rude, Kaiba," I commented neutrally, settling back in the soft cushion of my chair.

"What do you want, Yami?"

"Why did you agree to meet me?"

"What does it matter?"

"Don't you have more important people to deal with than me?"

"Did you _want_ me to ignore you?"

"Of course not." My smirk widened as I observed Seto. His eyes had narrowed in annoyance and he leaned forward on his elbows against the desk, unconsciously moving closer to me as we bantered back and forth. I shifted position, slowly sliding a palm under my collar and rubbing the skin along my collarbone and shoulder, making sure to leave a bit more of the smooth, pale skin exposed as I withdrew my hand.

Seto's gaze flickered to my neck. I triumphed inwardly.

"Y…ami," his voice stumbled slightly over the word, "my assistant told me you had a proposal for me."

I shifted again, this time leaning back in my chair so that my long blond bangs fell rakishly over one crimson eye. "Yes… I was wondering if you would be interested in having me as a spokesperson for KaibaCorp."

"_WHAT_?"

Seto's shocked, angry cry unnerved me and I almost lost my composure, but I managed to control my thudding heart and smirk confidently in reply. I knew I shouldn't worry too much – after all, I wasn't _really_ here for a job. "Well, you need to advertise dueling gear anyway. And since I am fairly well-known, I think I would be a good person for the job. I'd be willing to pose for billboards… _all_ sorts of pictures…" I drawled the last few words slowly and meaningfully, running my fingers through my thick hair and trailing them suggestively down my chest to rest in my lap.

Seto blinked. I could actually _see _the images racing through his head.

"I'm already the spokesperson for KaibaCorp," he said – without conviction.

"Alright." I exhaled slowly and rose to my feet. "If you change your mind, you know where to reach me."

With that, I walked out of the room, never glancing back; but I could feel Seto's eyes on me the entire way.

* * *

"What was I THINKING? How could I give up so easily? It was too soon! I didn't make enough of an impression… Seto will never call…will he?"

I paused in my frantic pacing to observe the fat goldfish staring dully at me. His lips puckered and he stretched his mouth open wide; then shut it again. A tiny bubble floated to the surface of the water.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

The goldfish flapped its fins once and swam unhurriedly to the surface of the water to search for food, disturbing the plastic seaweed replica suspended in the center of the bowl.

"A no," I decided, plopping onto my brick-red bedcovers and burying my face in my hands. The day before I had been confident with my little seduction, sure that I had secured Seto's attention, even aroused him. But now… now I wasn't so sure. I had left far too quickly; there was so much more I could have done, could have said – I could have even been direct with Seto and asked him out. If I had been as secure in my good looks as I claimed, I wouldn't have been afraid of rejection.

But no. I had to choose the subtle method, the slow route.

And now it was all blowing up in my face.

"Do you think I should try again?" I asked the fish. "Maybe there's something more I can do… another way to get him to notice me…"

The fish just stared at me.

"You're no help at all!" I exclaimed.

It turned its back on me.

"I knew I should have gotten a dog," I muttered sourly.

* * *

The events of that evening only served to add to my uncertainty. Yugi-tachi had wandered to the Game Shop as usual to eat, watch television, and try to leech free dueling gear from Yugi and Jiichan, and I had joined them on the couch to watch a televised duel between two new up-and-coming duelists.

"His strategy is impressive," I commented, gesturing toward one of the young duelists, a slim young man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Nah, he's nothing compared to you, Yami," Jou scoffed. The others murmured their assent.

I sighed lightly to myself. In all honesty the boy wasn't even close to perfect, but I couldn't help but like him. With his proud manner, slim tall stance, and those blue eyes, he reminded me of…

"SETO KAIBA, FORMER DUEL MONSTERS CHAMPION AND CURRENT HEARTTHROB!"

Jou and Honda groaned simultaneously, and even Yugi rolled his eyes. Only Anzu refrained from a disapproving reaction at the loud, obnoxious commercial cutting into the middle of the program, images of Seto's handsome features flashing across the screen as he proudly displayed the newest dueling technology.

"KAIBACORP SYSTEMS! NOTHING LESS THAN THE BEST!" the announcer finished brightly, and then the advertisement ended, the two duelists reappearing on the screen.

"I've never seen Kaiba do a commercial before," Anzu mused.

"That jerk! Probably just wants to rub it in our faces that we can't afford all that fancy junk," Jou grumbled. He was silent for a moment. "Did look pretty cool though. Hey Yug, you think your Jiichan'll get those new duel disks?"

"You're not getting anything free, Jou," Yugi sighed, and a mini-argument broke out as Jounouchi whined and wheedled, Anzu lectured about respect for Jiichan's livelihood, and Honda laughed mercilessly at Jou's groveling.

I ignored them all, staring at the screen instead and scowling as the images of Kaiba's smirking face as he wielded a duel disk replayed through my mind in an endless loop. I supposed I had my response, then – Seto wouldn't even bother contacting me again. He had shown me that I wasn't needed, much less wanted, to help promote KaibaCorp. My official reason for visiting Seto was a complete and utter failure.

As for the other reason…

I still wasn't sure.

* * *

The silk shirt was every bit as seductive as I'd first imagined. As I rotated slowly in front of the mirror the filmy fabric clung to my form, shifting airily with each miniscule movement of my body. I slid my hands along my torso, feeling the small but well-formed muscles of my chest, and took one more glance at the reflection in the mirror. "You think I'm good-looking, don't you, Crackers?" I murmured.

No response came from the fish bowl – though of course I hadn't really expected one.

I continued my examination of my reflection. "I mean, my hair is wild, but it makes me unique. I have good enough bone structure, and I'm really in good shape… if only I weren't so short… But I still make a decent impression, I'd have to say."

"It'd be better if you weren't standing around in your boxers."

I jumped in surprise at the caustic voice, my hands shooting out to awkwardly cover the offending, heart-printed boxer shorts as I turned to see Yugi standing in the doorway, obviously fighting a grin. "Yugi! …was there something you wanted…?" I tried to ask casually, though my cheeks flamed and I frantically scanned the room for the nearest pair of pants.

Yugi snorted in mirth, finally losing the battle as a wide grin escaped onto his face. "I just wanted to tell you that you have a phone call," he answered, laughter bursting out in tiny hiccups as he spoke. "I'll tell them you'll be down in a second." With that he turned his back on me and trotted away, the sound of his merry laughter drifting down the hall behind him.

I followed shortly afterwards, fully dressed.

I shot Yugi – who was sitting on the couch watching television and still snickering lightly under his breath – a resentful scowl as I picked up the telephone. "Hello?"

"Yes, is this Yami Mutou?"

"Yes, who may I ask is calling?"

"My name is Richard Archer; I'm the president of RAGE, a new American Duel Monsters company…"

"RAGE?"

"Richard Archer Game Equipment. The acronym's much better, don't you think?"

"Er… sure…"

"Yes, anyway Yami, the reason I'm calling is that I've seen Seto Kaiba's recent commercial." My jaw dropped, but before I could stutter out my shocked reply he continued. "We're trying to compete against KaibaCorp as it is, to get our products out there, and I think a commercial is the best way to do that. But we need a well-known spokesperson. Since you are the tournament champion, naturally we thought of you. So, would you be willing to be our company representative? Unless, of course, you've already got some sort of contract with KaibaCorp; I know you and Mr. Kaiba are acquainted…"

I hesitated for a moment, glancing over to the couch where Yugi sat, pretending to watch television as he listened in on my conversation – and just then Seto's new commercial burst onto the screen, all its lurid colors and shrill noises taunting me, laughing at me. The camera zoomed in on Seto's face, a challenging smirk etched across the smooth skin. I narrowed my eyes.

"I'd love to," I replied.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 2

Two weeks later Yugi-tachi were still crowing about my new job – Jou, especially, since it meant that I got free dueling gear… and gave it to him. Today, once again, Yugi-tachi were crowded noisily into the living room, grouped around the television set; though for once they weren't paying attention to the screen as Jou waved his new toy excitedly through the air, smacking Honda in the face and annoying everyone in the process.

"This duel disk is just as awesome as KaibaCorp's! And I love the colors!" he exclaimed for the hundredth time. (True to its heritage, RAGE disks came in a choice of red, white, or blue and all bore an American flag insignia just under the logo.)

"Yes. We know," Honda replied dully, rubbing the rising bruise on his cheek.

Yugi turned to me. "How long until your commercial comes out, Yami?" he asked curiously.

"I'm not sure. It should be really soon though; they're anxious to get the advertising started."

"Are you nervous?" Yugi questioned.

"Why would I be?"

"Oh, you know, the fact that your face will be everywhere, and you won't be able to go outside without getting mauled, and you'll probably have crazed fangirl stalkers…" Jou supplied helpfully, still staring lovingly at the gaudy duel disk.

"I'm sure _that's_ not true," Yugi said hastily, though his eyes widened and he looked rather worried.

"Yeah, Yami, don't listen to Jou. He's an idiot," Honda put in.

"Why you…"

Ignoring the impromptu wrestling match on the carpet below him, Yugi returned his attention to me and smiled. "Well, anyway, I'm sure it'll be great. Loads better than Kaiba's commercial, anyhow."

I could feel the blood drain from my face in one sickening rush.

"I… I need to go to the store. I'll be back later," I muttered hastily, and rushed out the door before Yugi-tachi could question me.

As soon as I had turned a corner I buried my face in my hands and sighed loudly, rubbing my eyes tiredly with shaking fingers. Seto's commercial… I had agreed to do this spokesperson thing because of it, because the tacky advertisement rubbed my face in the fact that Seto had turned me down – in more ways than one. And yet, every time the stupid thing crossed my mind I felt a terrible surge of guilt, and I got the feeling I had screwed things up more than I realized by giving in to my whim and signing that contract.

Seto and I were rivals once again.

* * *

I wandered aimlessly for the next hour or so, my thoughts lingering on the blue-eyed duelist who had so successfully gained my affection and complicated my life. Eventually I found myself in the crowded square in the center of town, standing just under one of the giant, billboard-sized television screens that broadcasted propaganda to the populace all throughout the day. 

I glared at it. Why was it that television had to haunt me every second of the day? It was everywhere! Finally I sighed and turned away from the screen, deciding to head home – hopefully Yugi-tachi had finished fussing over the duel disks – when I saw him.

Seto.

He rushed along the sidewalk, in a hurry as usual, and he almost passed me by without event until he happened to carelessly glance up at the flashing, billboard-sized screen – and stopped in his tracks. I watched him curiously for a moment as he openly stared at the screen, his brilliant cerulean eyes darkening with some inexpressible emotion, before I turned to see what had drawn his attention.

It was a black-and-white picture of someone's arm.

Then the image changed, and a word flashed across the screen, bold and black against a white background.

_Untamable._

The screen flashed again, the camera panning out over thin, shapely legs encased in black leather.

_Unbeatable._

"Oh no…" I whispered, realization finally sweeping over me as the camera zoomed in on the person's chest, an open black button-up shirt revealing tempting hints of the muscles underneath.

_Unstoppable._

Then, finally, the camera swept up to his face, and I saw my own features smirking back at me from the giant screen. I stared at the image for several long, aching seconds before the final words flashed across the screen.

_Duel Monsters: Play the game. Live the life._

With that the RAGE logo briefly appeared and the billboard screen launched into the next commercial, leaving my hands shaking and my heart pounding thunderously against my ribcage. I slowly, cautiously turned to see Seto's reaction; sure that scathing fury would be etched all across his face. But, though when I turned I saw his features blotted in an awkward shade of purplish-red, I wasn't sure if the expression I saw was rage. His eyes had widened and seemed about to pop from his skull, and his jaw hung open as he continued to gape at the television screen.

He looked like he was in shock.

We stayed like that a few moments longer, Seto staring blankly at the screen and me staring awkwardly at Seto, until he blinked slowly and lowered his gaze, only to finally notice me watching him as he tore his eyes from the screen. As our eyes met the reddish-purple tint rushed over his face all over again, concentrated in the tips of his ears, and Seto's eyes narrowed as he gave me the fierce, icy glare he had directed toward me so many times before. But this time there was something added to it, a sharp edge that made my breath hitch and a burning knot lodge itself in the back of my throat.

"Seto… I…" I stuttered helplessly, but he just narrowed his eyes further, into two flashing, tiny slits, and spun on a heel, not even bothering to give me a derisive grunt as he stalked away.

* * *

When I finally dragged myself home, hours later and with suspiciously red-rimmed eyes, Yugi-tachi leaped on me in one huge, chattering pile, nearly knocking me to the floor. "Ooomph!" I grunted as Yugi tackled me around the middle. 

"Oh, Yami, we're so proud of you! We saw your commercial; it was fantastic!" Yugi cried joyously.

"You were soooo handsome," Anzu crooned, batting her eyelashes at me.

"Er…"

"I can't wait 'til it comes on again! I'm going to make a copy of it!" Yugi shouted excitedly and let go of me suddenly, rushing to the closet to look for a blank tape. The others trooped back to the couch to stare at the television some more and wait for the commercial to reappear.

None of them seemed to notice my less than enthusiastic response.

I stood watching them for a few minutes, not really seeing their smiling, proud faces. Instead all I saw were Kaiba's red ears and that dark, smoldering glare before he walked away. I couldn't imagine what he thought when he saw me in that commercial… Why had I done it anyway? Just because Seto hadn't wanted me as a stupid spokesperson was no reason to betray him like that; I didn't even _want_ to work for him in the first place. I just wanted to spend time with him.

But when I saw Seto's face on that screen, I had just felt so rejected… I had felt… heartbroken.

I sighed softly to myself and trudged up the long, steep staircase to my room, my feet dragging a little more with each labored step until I finally collapsed facedown on my bed. I lay there for a few moments in silence, the only sounds my ragged breaths and the dull sloshing of water in the fishbowl as Crackers swam aimlessly back and forth. Eventually, however, I began to run out of oxygen – as my face was buried in a pillow – so, with a low groan, I rolled over onto my side.

As I lay there, staring blankly ahead of me, my gaze fell upon the nightstand beside the bed – and the cordless phone lying innocently on top of it.

I sat up.

"I shouldn't call him… should I?"

Even as I said this, my fingers twitched forward and grabbed the phone, and I stared at the object a few seconds longer in silence before I spoke again. "Maybe I could apologize… I could still quit this advertising thing, after all. I got his attention; isn't that what I wanted?" I murmured softly.

An extra-large splash came from Crackers' bowl and I decided to take that as encouragement, rapidly dialing numbers before my rational mind could object, though as the phone rang my throat clenched and my hands shook fiercely. I gulped.

"KaibaCorp offices, how may I help you?"

"Yes… I need to speak to Seto Kaiba. It's an emergency."

"Your name sir?"

"Yami Mutou."

"One moment, please."

He probably wouldn't even take my call anyway. The thought reassured me slightly, though, to be honest, I really wanted to speak to him, to hear that rich, sultry, voice…

"What do _you_ want, Yami?" Seto suddenly snapped, jerking me nastily from my reverie.

"Er… well… I…"

"Well? Wanting to inform me that you got a job with the competition? There's no need. I saw your commercial. I suppose congratulations are in order."

"Kaiba, that's not… I mean…"

"Well what then? Worried about the status of KaibaCorp? Don't let it bother you. I can handle a little competition – that's what we've always been after all. Rivals. It's almost a relief to know we've gone back to the old routine."

"Seto! You're not my rival, you're my FRIEND!"

There was silence on the line for a moment. Then, "I don't have friends."

"Seto…"

"Well, it's been an interesting conversation, but I'll have to cut it short. I'm a very busy man. I'll be seeing you, Yami."

And he hung up.

* * *

I've always been prone to using old, sometimes clichéd adages to describe how I feel, and over the next few days one saying in particular kept up a tiresome refrain inside my head: _You always hurt the ones you love_… However, for once, this particular proverb didn't seem exactly accurate, so I edited it a little to suit my purposes. 

_The ones you love always piss you off_.

That seemed about right.

I wasn't sure if I loved Seto, not really, but after our conversation on the phone I was definitely pissed off. Regardless of how attracted to him I was, or how guilty I felt over making us competitors again, I couldn't overlook the fact that Seto had acted like a complete jerk to me. And I was _mad_. So, when the director called me to begin filming my next commercial I readily complied, imagining Seto's red ears throughout the whole project.

Yugi-tachi were as enthusiastic as ever about my new career, even though I hadn't brought them any new toys for a while – though, of course, Jou was still waving around his new duel disk for anyone who appeared to be paying the slightest bit of attention to him. Anyhow, they still came over to the game shop every day to stare at the television and wait eagerly for the new commercial to come out, until one rainy afternoon, two weeks after my conversation with Kaiba, when the long-awaited ad finally appeared.

We were all sitting on the couch, Yugi-tachi chattering away while I stared meditatively at the screen and tried to keep Seto's last words to me from replaying in my mind for the thousandth time, when suddenly my black-and-white, smirking face appeared in front of us. Anzu squealed once, and then Yugi-tachi fell into deafening silence as we watched.

Low, sultry music played in the background as the camera slowly moved away from my face, gradually revealing more of my body. I was shirtless this time, my arms crossed defiantly across my chest, while boot-cut black pants clung snugly to my thighs, several chains threaded loosely through the belt loops. I looked directly at the camera, smirk widening, and murmured the new company catch phrase. "How do you play?"

With that, Anzu squealed loudly again. "Oooh, Yami, you look so…"

She broke off mid-sentence, her jaw dropping in amazement, and I winced. The girls had shown up.

Two large-chested models, one with waist-length dark hair, the other a curly-haired blonde, wearing nothing but super-short strapless white sundresses strode onto the screen and immediately started running their hands all over me. They wrapped their arms around my chest, resting their heads on my shoulders and pressing their bodies tightly against mine, as I continued staring at the camera through dark, smoky eyes.

Then the screen went black, white letters flashing across it.

_Duel Monsters. Play the game. Live the life._

The RAGE logo appeared briefly once again, and then the next commercial began, but Yugi-tachi still sat in stunned silence while I stared determinedly at the screen and avoided eye contact. I really hadn't wanted those girls, but the company had insisted… I fought a shiver as I remembered the way they had shoved their bodies against me, giggling and winking flirtatiously at me the whole time. And one of them had _groped_ me. Now I understood why girls complained about that all the time; it was really embarrassing.

Of course, if Seto groped me, I don't think I would mind that much. He probably had incredible hands, firm but soft, tender with just enough strength behind them to make me shiver at the thought of what he _might _do…

"Yami? Were you listening?"

I blinked at the sound of Yugi's curious query. "Hmm? What was that?"

Jou laughed. "No he wasn't listening! Look at that grin; he was probably remembering filming with those girls!" He and Honda broke out into wolf whistles and a series of other animal noises while Anzu scowled and tried to lecture them about "respecting women."

Yugi smiled at me. "Why didn't you tell us about the commercial, Yami? Was it fun?"

I looked away. "Well, it was… I mean… I didn't really like them touching me so much," I mumbled.

He was silent for a moment and I chanced another glance at his face, only to see a curious, thoughtful expression etched across Yugi's features before I quickly looked away again, just in time to see Seto's face smirking at me from the television screen. "Oh great, Kaiba's got another commercial," Jounouchi groaned – as he and the rest of Yugi-tachi dropped back into their seats to stare intently at the television.

While the camera panned over Seto's lithe, slender form, decked out in all his dueling gear, I inched forward involuntarily until I perched on the very edge of the couch, my elbows propped on my knees as I gawked openly at him, under the pretext of examining his new commercial. Seto's thick chestnut hair whipped around his face, his trademark trenchcoat fluttering in the wind as he stood, arms crossed triumphantly across his chest, while the announcer boomed an enthusiastic voice-over.

_KaibaCorp dueling gear: the product of champions. Designed and tested by Seto Kaiba, proven expert and brilliant duelist…_

In spite of myself, a tiny smile crept over my face as I watched him – until the next phase of the commercial began, and I almost fell off the couch in shock.

_Seto Kaiba has proven himself a champion duelist, overcoming all obstacles with the help of his superior designs and equipment… KaibaCorp products…_

With that, rapid images flashed across the screen of Kaiba defeating duelist after duelist, mostly footage from his Battle City tournament – though the final image was a blurry shot from Duelist Kingdom, a shot of Jou kneeling in front of Seto in a humiliating loss. On that note, the commercial ended, leaving us gaping in shock at the screen once more.

"How did he get footage of that?" Honda mused.

"Must have been surveillance cameras," answered Anzu.

"Oh. Well…"

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

Assuming this explosion came from Jounouchi, Yugi-tachi turned to him, only to whip their heads back toward me in astonishment when they saw him gawping wide-eyed in my direction. "Yami…?" Yugi questioned faintly.

I vaguely registered their surprise as I leapt to my feet, quaking in anger, and glared at the television as if Seto's picture were still there. "How DARE he! He's acting like he and I never dueled! I BEAT YOU SETO KAIBA! Don't you remember? Or am I not important?" I shouted at the top of my lungs, waving my hands frantically in the air. "You selfish, egotistical bastard! You… you…"

But, right there in the middle of my screaming rant, as suddenly as my rage had begun it ended, rushing out of me and leaving a hollow ache behind. I dropped my hands and hung my head as I ran out of insults mid-sentence, forgetting – as usual – all the reasons I hated Kaiba, left only with a dull sense of disappointment and vague longing. "Kaiba, you… I…"

I closed my eyes, breathing raggedly as my all my anger slowly deflated, until Yugi's gentle, stammering question broke through my tumultuous thoughts.

"Yami… You like him, don't you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 3

It took three weeks for my next commercial to air, twenty-one long, wearying days of seeing Seto's face everywhere I went – on the television at home, on billboards and fliers throughout the city – and when I didn't see him, I saw myself, in the exact same obnoxious, insufferable ads. I was beginning to hate them.

What was worse, Jou had been right – to a point, anyway – and giggling girls followed me everywhere I went, shadowing me and squealing whenever I looked at them. This would have annoyed me in itself, but after the second day or so of such treatment I realized that girls were most likely following Seto like this, too.

My fangirls received many black looks after that.

Still torn between fury and longing for Kaiba, I had filmed the third and final commercial for my current contract days after the second had aired. The ads' producer and RAGE's president had both asked me to sign a new contract, and had even encouraged me to consult a lawyer, but I had held on the papers since then, unsure what to do with them. I hadn't contacted a lawyer, or even spoken to my employers, though they had called me several times.

To be honest, I really wanted to quit. My reasons for doing the commercials had disappeared along with my anger at Seto, and I hated myself for provoking him – even though he certainly deserved it. But that wasn't the only reason I wanted out; the lifestyle that went with it felt degrading to me. I didn't mind being in the spotlight for my achievements, such as winning duels, but to have girls rubbing up against me and people fawning over me just because of the way I looked… it was unnerving, to say the least.

So, as I sat at the desk in my room, reading over the new contract for the thousandth time while Crackers swam happily in his bowl beside me, I decided to give up the ads once and for all. "I'm quitting," I informed the fish.

Crackers flapped his fins in a questioning sort of way.

"I don't care what Seto does," I continued. "He can keep making commercials if he wants to, but I don't really care about competing with him anymore. I never did."

Crackers did an impressive flip, tail streaming skillfully behind him as he turned over headfirst in the water.

"Well, at least I can say I got his attention now," I sighed.

This time, the fish's only reply was to stare at me blankly through its wide, lidless eyes.

I sighed softly once again.

* * *

There were no girls this time, thank goodness. But I was shirtless once again, wearing only the familiar black pants that clung tightly to my legs and a few silver chains threaded loosely through the belt loops. For this commercial, I sprawled casually on a spotless white floor, one knee pulled up to my chest and an arm resting lazily across it, cushioning my cheek as I smiled seductively at the camera. A light breeze from an off-screen fan fluttered my long bangs, sending the thick locks flying across my cheeks and tickling my arm.

Like the previous commercials, this one didn't require me to speak much, simply murmur a few company slogans as soothing piano music played in the background. After a few seconds of this, the familiar catch phrase – _Play the game. Live the life_ – flashed across the screen, and the commercial ended with a long, slow shot of my face. I smiled softly at the camera.

"Hmm… That commercial wasn't as impressive as the last one," Jou mused.

"Yeah right! You just miss those girls!"

"Shut up Honda!"

"Yami, you look soooo great in that!" Anzu sighed wistfully.

"Why weren't there any girls in that one?"

"Jounouchi!"

"You're the one drooling over Yami!"

"So what? You can't deny he looks good in those ads!"

"Well then _you_ have to admit those girls look good!"

"I will not…"

Yugi stared in amused incredulity at his friends as they argued over the commercial, which, incidentally, we'd seen about fifty times already. It, along with Seto's ads, continued to dominate the airwaves, images of his face and mine appearing at least every hour or so to torment me. Finally Yugi turned away from the others and regarded me curiously.

"So, when are you going to make another commercial?" he asked.

"…I'm not," I answered lowly.

He blinked in surprise, but then a knowing smile crept over his face. "Because of Seto?"

I didn't answer – and didn't look at him either.

"You know," Yugi murmured after a minute or so, "You didn't have to be on TV to get Seto to notice you. He already did."

I whipped my head around in shock, my eyes narrowing at the knowing twinkle in Yugi's violet gaze. "He did NOT!" I cried. Yugi-tachi fell silent in an instant, turning to regard me with wide eyes.

"Kaiba again," Jou muttered under his breath.

I glared at him. Then, looking away once more, I let my voice fall to barely more than a whisper as I answered Yugi's unasked question. "I wanted him to notice… to see me as something besides a rival; I hoped that if I could just be around him he would think of me as… well… But then I just got so MAD! And you probably all think I'm crazy now…"

"Yami…" Yugi began, reaching a hand out beseechingly toward my arm, but I jerked away and climbed to my feet, stumbling slightly over the rug at the foot of the worn sofa.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. I need to be alone for awhile." I turned and stalked out the door of the game shop, ignoring the worried whispers at my back.

* * *

I hurried down the sidewalk, fighting back the angry, disappointed tears that had been threatening to fall continually for the past month. To my credit, not a single one spilled down my cheeks, though my throat burned and my eyes watered fiercely; and I just kept rushing along the sidewalk as fast as I could without breaking into a run, trying to put as much distance between Yugi-tachi and myself as possible.

Yugi hadn't seemed surprised at all when he figured out my feelings for Seto. In fact, all of Yugi-tachi had been sympathetic and supportive – though at first Jou had muttered something about "not appreciating a good situation" and "letting those girls go to waste" – and since then, although he said he didn't understand my motives, Yugi had repeatedly urged me to go to Seto and tell him how I felt.

He apparently didn't understand that I _had_ tried to go to Seto. And it hadn't exactly turned out well, to say the least.

I paused, chest heaving, in my race along the sidewalk and ran a shaky hand over my face. If I had to think about Seto or those insipid commercials once more I would…

"Yami! I've been looking for you everywhere! You haven't been answering my phone calls!"

My hand fell limply to my side as I stifled a groan. "Mr. Archer. I… er…" I glanced up at the tall, trim man, wearing a business suit, who with his short-cropped brown hair resembled Seto a little, and when I caught sight of his annoyed, slightly curious expression I lost whatever vague excuse I had been attempting to stutter and fell silent. I looked at the ground.

"Well, honestly sir I…"

"Never mind, that's not important right now. Listen, anyway, I'm so glad I caught up with you; I was actually going to your house to get you, but since you're here – I need you to come downtown with me today. It's an emergency. I'm sorry to spring this on you like this, but I've been trying to call you for days… Anyway, KaibaCorp is sponsoring a game products promotion today, and they've invited us and several of other of their competitors as well. I don't know how they managed to keep it out of the news; they probably wanted to pick their own media so they could look as good as possible. Generous enough to invite their competition, even." He snorted. "Anyhow, I really need you there, Yami. I know you haven't signed a new contract yet, but I promise you'll be paid handsomely for this… You're our best known representative; we really, really need you to be there…"

I hesitated. This was the perfect opportunity for me to tell him I was quitting, my chance to call the whole thing off and be done with this ugly affair for good – and let Kaiba get on with his life, without me. But then I looked at my boss's serious, slightly desperate face, and I lost my resolve. He really needed me… I could always resign privately, at the end of the day. It wouldn't hurt to help him this one last time.

"Alright then, Mr. Archer. Just let me go home and get ready…"

"No time," he interrupted curtly, grabbing my arm as I turned and pulling me briskly along the sidewalk in the other direction. "We've got to go now, the promotion starts in an hour."

As he dragged me along, rapidly spouting out long lists of things that he wanted me to say and do once we reached the convention, an anxious foreboding sense settled in my chest, and I wondered exactly what I'd gotten myself into.

* * *

Despite my rapidly growing popularity over the past several weeks, I still wasn't prepared for the deafening, shrill screams that greeted me as I stepped out onto the raised platform where RAGE had their product display. Although there hadn't been any official news about the event – and I hadn't heard about it myself until less than an hour beforehand – somehow word had leaked out to hundreds of frantic, screaming girls. As I eyed them hesitantly, they blew kisses and held up signs – and one of them yanked up her shirt and exposed herself to me.

My eyes widened in shock and I stumbled backward a few steps, bumping awkwardly into my boss's chest. He brusquely pushed me forward again, sending me teetering toward the screaming, lascivious throng of girls, and I barely managed to keep myself from falling, much less fight the heated flush racing to my cheeks as I stood there awkwardly in front of the enormous crowd.

"WE LOVE YOU YAMI!" a cluster of girls to my left screeched, and I moved slightly to the right, fighting to smile as Mr. Archer hissed instructions to me and a loud, bellowing voice boomed through the loudspeakers strategically circling the stage.

"YAMI MUTOU, REPRESENTATIVE FOR RAGE DUELING PRODUCTS!"

The girls squealed again and I blinked, still falsely beaming as I waved at the throng. My eyes scanned the arena curiously while I gradually tuned out the noises of the crowd, noticing that the platform where I stood was merely one of many, arranged in a circle, each displaying a different gaming company and its smiling representatives.

Then my eyes fell on the stage directly to my left, and the fake smile dropped off my face in an instant.

It was Kaiba, of course, bedecked in his typical flowing white trenchcoat and skintight black turtleneck and trousers. He stood in what looked to be the center of the ring, not even bothering with an insincere smile, instead opting to alternate between smirking at the crowd and glaring at me. Our eyes met and I was frozen in an instant, a chill running down my spine at the hostility in that cool blue gaze.

"Seto…" I murmured, though he couldn't hear me, and for a moment it seemed as if uncertainty flickered over his face before he broke our eye contact and turned away, giving his attention to the crowd once more.

The booming voice over the loudspeakers snapped me out of my reverie.

"AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR HOST, MR. SETO KAIBA OF KAIBACORP!"

Someone handed Seto a cordless microphone, and he waited until the cheers of the crowd had settled into a dull murmur before he began to speak. "Thank you all for coming," Seto drawled in that deep, sultry voice that sent goosebumps racing across my arms and made me forget that the brunet was a complete jackass. "I've asked you here today so that we can all get a good look at our competitors and hopefully learn something about our own companies' strengths and weaknesses. This was meant to be a somewhat private session," he looked meaningfully at the starry-eyed girls, "but I expect that the members of the public in attendance will maintain their objectivity and discretion while the company representatives are speaking."

I smiled a little – genuinely this time – at Seto's words, feeling reassured and slightly more comfortable, until someone suddenly shoved a microphone into my hands. I blinked and turned questioningly to Mr. Archer, but he merely narrowed his eyes and nodded toward Seto, who had begun speaking once more.

"We'll start with a question-and-answer session, beginning with our newest competitor, RAGE. If you all don't mind, I'd like to begin." The other representatives mumbled their assent into their newly acquired microphones, and with that Seto's eyes were boring into mine once more.

I blinked, breaking the nerve-wracking eye contact almost immediately, and glanced over at Mr. Archer for his input, only to discover that I was alone on the stage. I choked in shock, my heart leaping to the back of my throat as I whipped my head around frantically, until finally I spotted him standing just behind the curtain at the back of the platform. "What are you doing!" I hissed.

"You're the representative, Yami," he snapped back harshly. "Do your job!"

"What? I didn't even know about this until you dragged me in from the street!" I retorted in a hoarse whisper. "How am I supposed to know what to…?"

"A-_hem_." The sound of Seto clearing his throat tugged me back into the harsh reality of the chattering crowd and the snickering company representatives. "If you're quite ready, Mr. Mutou."

"Yes… I mean I am," I replied lamely.

"Good. Now, would you like to explain for the group some of the strong points of RAGE's products? What particular aspect of your company makes your products exceptional?" Seto smirked as he continued to stare at me with those eyes, boring holes into my skull with that intense blue gaze.

I froze. Mr. Mutou? Strong points? What was I supposed to say? I knew virtually nothing about the technicalities of the company; I merely modeled for its commercials – and Seto knew it, too.

"Er…"

"Well, Mr. Mutou, what makes RAGE stand out?" Seto supplied, his smirk widening.

"Uh, well; it's American… the duel disks are very colorful… and the ads are different than other gaming companies…"

"Ah yes, the ads. Can you tell me why your company chose to advertise game products using such sexual imagery? Why would the company choose someone to represent their game based on his appearance half-dressed?"

The girls cheered at this, a few cries of "Marry me, Yami!" popping up from different points in the crowd as I stared at Seto, my eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"What? Seto, I…"

"Please address me in a professional manner, Mr. Mutou."

"But…"

"Do you not have an answer? I believe that most game corporations refrain from being so blatantly sexual, instead relying on the spokesperson's credentials rather than his chest muscles."

"I beat you and you know it!" I cried angrily.

"Mr. Mutou, once again I ask you to address me in an appropriate manner. We're both professionals here."

"We are not! I QUIT!" I hurled the microphone down and it hit the floor of the stage with a resounding boom. The crowd fell deathly silent, staring at me in wonder, but I merely stalked through the back curtain, brushing past Mr. Archer without even a glance.

"Yami, what are you doing? Where are you going?" he called after me.

My only reply was the raised middle finger of my right hand.

* * *

I leaned against the back of the building, hidden slightly by an alcove in the brick wall containing an overflowing, smelly dumpster – and, at the moment, me – as I rubbed the palms of my hands slowly over my face, trying to regulate the painful, heaving gasps wrenched from my throat as I miraculously held back nervous, hysterical sobs.

That had been, in short, a nightmare. A disaster. A train wreck. A…

"What do you think you're doing, Yami?"

I peeked out from between my fingers and groaned at the sight before me. "Go away, Kaiba."

"What happened to Seto?"

"I thought you wanted me to 'address you in a more professional manner,'" I snorted.

"That was before you threw a temper tantrum and ruined my entire convention. We had to recess after you stormed out like a spoiled child, though I doubt we'll accomplish anything the rest of the day now, anyway."

That did it. I tore my hands away from my face, only to rear back and slap Seto across the cheek with all my might. "What in the world is your problem, Kaiba? If you don't want me around why can't you just leave me alone? Why do you think you have to torment me? What did I ever do to you!" After that – slightly hysterical – outburst, Kaiba and I stared at each other for a split second, an expression of incredulous disbelief etched across his features as he gingerly touched his cheek.

I spun on a heel and stomped away, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back around to face him before I'd taken three steps. "What did you do to me? Besides showing me up at every turn, you mean? You have to be better than me at everything – you can't just settle to be the 'King of Games,' you have to compete against me in my company, too; the only thing that was ever really mine," he snarled, his brilliant blue eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "You betrayed me. And I thought we were friends, too."

I yanked my arm from his grasp. "You're the one who said we weren't!"

"A friend doesn't come to the other's office looking for a job. A friend doesn't try to undermine his friend's work. He doesn't get a job with his friend's competition…"

"Kaiba, you idiot! I never wanted a job, and it was obvious! I was there because I wanted an excuse to see you; I was there because I like you!"

Silence. Seto and I stared at each other. He opened his mouth; then shut it. Then opened it again. "Yami…"

I looked away, embarrassment finally seeping in and overshadowing my anger, until the unmistakable high-pitched squeal of excited girls sounded around the corner. I blanched. "I have to go," I muttered, still not looking at Seto, and started to turn, but I felt his strong grip wrap around my arm once more.

"You're coming with me. We need to talk."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Chapter 4

Seto dragged me along to the other side of the building, where a sleek black limousine was waiting a good distance from the crowd. He didn't bother to wait for someone to open the door – merely yanked it opened and shoved me inside before climbing in himself, but not before I heard a particularly shrill girl's voice cry, "It's Yami and Kaiba! Over there!"

Luckily, the limo pulled away before any of them could begin to follow us, Kaiba instructing the driver to take us to the Kaiba Mansion before rolling up the privacy screen and turning to me, his brilliant eyes dark and serious. "Explain," he said shortly.

I looked away, watching the boiling crowd shrink into the distance through the tinted windows at the back of the limousine. "What is there to explain…?" I mumbled.

Seto snorted. "Why you got a job with my most obnoxious competitor, maybe?"

I finally cut my eyes in his direction, raising an eyebrow at Seto's sour expression. "Maybe I was upset… maybe I didn't like watching you in those egotistical commercials, knowing you were just doing it to rub it in my face that you rejected me," I snapped.

"I thought you didn't really _want_ a job," Kaiba retorted.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Well what did you mean?"

"What I said!"

"That _is _what you said!"

"I said you rejected me!"

Silence again. Seto turned his head, his sleek dark hair slipping over his eyes so I couldn't read his expression, and my face heated up in humiliation as my last words seemed to echo over and over in the heavy air. My breaths sounded very loud in my ears. Eventually I gulped a little and settled against the leather seats, my posture tense and needlessly rigid as I fought to keep my gaze from drifting to the slim brunet beside me who still sat with his head turned toward the darkened windows.

"Would you… Could you ask the driver to take me home, please?" I asked faintly.

Seto didn't answer. But then, as my face burned even hotter and my breaths seemed noisier than ever in the dense silence, he finally muttered something incomprehensible.

"What? What did you say Seto?"

"I wouldn't… I didn't know," he mumbled.

"Didn't know what?" I asked softly.

"That you were trying to… Yami… I wouldn't reject you."

My breath caught in my throat when he finally turned his head and met my eyes again. Blatant longing burned lowly in the deep blue for half an instant, just long enough for me to see it before the emotionless shades fell back over his eyes as Seto continued to watch me, the air still thick and heavy between us. My throat closed up even tighter and I cleared it in vain, my voice cracking slightly as I tried to speak.

"You… wouldn't reject me?"

A slight shake of the chestnut head, left, then right.

We stared at each other.

Then slowly, hesitantly, I closed the distance between us, stretching until my lips hovered just below Seto's, close enough for the warm tendrils of our mingled breaths to gust across my cheek. I stretched a little further, almost – almost – touching those full lips with my own, and Seto's eyelids slipped nearly shut, only the slightest hint of blue escaping to meet my gaze.

It was there I lost my nerve. Suddenly I was hyperaware of my position, sprawled out across the leather seats, almost sitting in Seto's lap, my face shoved up against his.

I balked.

"Seto… I'm sorry… I…" I started to back away, crawling backwards along the seats until I nearly reached the other wall of the car.

Seto groaned.

And then, his arms were around my waist, drawing me back to where I had been a moment before, sprawled gracelessly across the brunet, our foreheads barely touching as we stared thoughtfully into each other's eyes for yet another long, silent, moment; until I let out a soft sigh and wrapped my arms around his neck, flinging away any embarrassment or pride as I pressed my lips against his, a muffled moan escaping me the moment I finally felt the pressure of Seto's warm mouth.

He moaned as well, the arms around my waist tightening passionately, and I straddled his hips, climbing fully into his lap as the kiss deepened and Seto's tongue joined mine inside my mouth. I ran my fingers through his hair, savoring the sensation of the silky locks flowing through my hands as our mouths continued to move against each other in a sensual dance, tiny jolts of ecstasy shooting through my veins at each motion of Seto's lips. The hands around my waist slid dangerously lower and lower until they cupped my rear, making me gasp in surprise, my eyes wrenching open from where they had slipped closed during our kiss, but Seto merely smirked, and I could feel his growing arousal against my hip.

The car stopped.

I let my arms slide from their position around Seto's neck and sat up in his lap, feeling slightly awkward under his contemplative gaze. "Well… we're here…" I said.

Seto stared at me a moment longer, his smirk widening. "Come upstairs with me."

* * *

The door shut behind me with a dull thud. 

Well, here I was; in Seto's bedroom, the place I'd been fantasizing about for months, with the object of my affection suddenly pressing me against the wall as his lips found their way to that spot on my neck that burned like white fire under his nips and caresses, delicious heat spanning the entire length of my body as Seto molded himself against me from chest to knee. I turned my head, allowing him greater access to my neck as my hand roamed freely along his back; reaching under the heavy coat he always wore to feel hot skin against my fingers.

I shifted beneath him, grinding my hips against his as he kept sucking at my neck, kissing and licking my collarbone and casting me into a helpless frenzy, but at the motion of my hips, Seto's breath hitched and his palms slipped a few inches from their position against the white plaster, leaving sweaty imprints of his fingers that slowly dissolved as I watched them through hazy eyes.

I ground against Seto again, more meaningfully this time. "I want you," I murmured in the ear conveniently level with my mouth. He lifted his head immediately, engaging me in one more nerve-shattering kiss before he finally pulled away and examined me carefully with those piercing brilliant eyes.

Seto nodded.

* * *

Making a face, I sprinkled sour-smelling fish food into Crackers' bowl, where the tiny multicolored flakes floated until the goldfish greedily sucked them into his wide, gaping mouth. "No, I don't regret a thing," I told Crackers as I watched him eat his lunch. "It may have just been a one-time thing, I don't know. But I'm not going to try to get Seto's attention again – I've definitely learned my lesson about that." 

Having cleared the water of all the flakes of food, Crackers swam to the edge of his fishbowl to engage in a staring contest with his distorted reflection.

"I really like Seto – think I could love him if I got the chance – and I know he likes me too," I paused, reliving _very_ pleasurable memories, "but anyhow, the next move is up to him."

Crackers swam forward, butting his head against the side of the bowl, and swam back with a slightly disappointed expression when he realized he couldn't reach his reflection.

"And I'm done with all that RAGE nonsense, so that's a relief. It's been a media circus, though, that's for sure. I suppose I didn't choose a very tactful way to quit…"

"I know, and I'm sorry about that. It was my fault."

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the deep, husky voice at the door. Seto stood there, leaning against the doorpost, with a slight smirk painted across his handsome features. He held a plastic bag in his left hand. "Talking to a fish, Yami?" he questioned mock-seriously, his smirk widening when I scowled and looked away. "Did it have anything interesting to say?"

I ignored him and went to stand in front of Crackers' bowl, pretending to inspect the water.

But then, warm arms wrapped around my waist and a pair of supple lips found their way to my jaw, dropping kisses in a teasing line until they reached my ear. "I brought you something," Seto murmured. He pressed the squishy plastic bag into my hands. "Yugi told me you liked fish…"

Seto stepped back; eyeing me somewhat apprehensively as I finally looked at the bag in my hands. There, determinedly butting its head against the sealed corner of the plastic bag, was a goldfish, slightly smaller than Crackers; unless I was mistaken, it looked like a female. My eyes widened. "Seto, why would you get me this?"

He shifted slightly. "Things got out of control before. I thought I should apologize, if we were going to be…"

"Yes?" I prompted, an enormous grin spreading across my face.

"…to be…together," Seto finally finished in a low voice.

"So you bought me a fish," I said flatly. Seto frowned and started to say something else, but I just grinned again and quickly planted a kiss on his half-open mouth. "Thank you. I'm sorry too," I told him. Then I held up the plastic bag, carefully inspecting the tiny goldfish Seto had given me. "Hmm… You need a name…" I looked over at Crackers' bowl to see him flapping his fins wildly and staring at the new fish.

"I think I'll call you Saltine."


End file.
